Objective
To review the effects of Eversound hearing technology on the mood of residents living with dementia within senior living communities. It was expected that Eversound had the potential to improve mood, especially during group-based activities.
Methods
Quantitative cross-sectional data was obtained from two memory care communities in Massachusetts to assess the relationship between Eversound’s assistive hearing technology and resident mood. To investigate short-term effects of Eversound use, standardized self-reported measures of mood were recorded at baseline prior to group activity and after Eversound headphones were used post-intervention. To measure subjective well-being, participants rated their current mood (i.e., “Which face shows how you feel right now”) on a 5-point likert scale in which participants rated how he/she was feeling using graphics of faces (1= very sad; 2= somewhat sad; 3= neutral; 4= somewhat happy; and 5= very happy) before and after using Eversound during a number of activities including exercise, trivia, and music. Change in mood was documented.
Results
A total of 20 residents participated in this study and were included in the analysis. Participants’ mean mood rating prior to use of Eversound was 3.9, whereas the mean mood rating following activity participation with Eversound was 4.5. The mean change in mood state was 0.6 on a scale of 1-5, and was statistically significant (p < 0.05). A statistically significant improvement in mood was achieved at the 0.05 p-value from baseline to follow-up. Results showed that 35% of participants experienced improved mood (7/20) and that on average, mood improved by nearly 20%.
Conclusion
Preliminary findings suggest that Eversound technology enables senior living communities to more effectively improve resident quality of life in memory care, by improving mood during group-based activities. Previous research has found that positive mood facilitates activity and engagement in long-term care and ultimately leads to better health outcomes. Larger studies are needed to confirm these results.
